Windows 11 Insider rolls out Beta build 26220.9757

Microsoft has started rolling out Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26220.9757 to the Beta Channel. The build arrived on October 23, 2026, is based on Windows 11 version 25H2, and is delivered through an enablement package. It brings the redesigned File Explorer context menu, first announced to Insiders on August 17, along with a performance fix for the Settings app.

A cleaner right-click menu in File Explorer

The new menu reduces top-level clutter while keeping commonly used actions easy to reach. Microsoft says the Windows 11 menu became cluttered and sluggish over time. It adds that much of the speed gain comes from a cleaner default menu, because every app that adds its own entries makes the menu do extra work each time it opens.

At the bottom of the menu, a new Customize menu shortcut opens a dedicated page in Settings under Personalization > Context menu. The top section turns built-in commands such as Send to or Create shortcut on or off, and it lets users enable commands like Print that were missing from the Windows 11 menu. A second section controls which app extensions appear in the main menu or in a submenu, including hiding the submenu altogether.

A third section covers where the most common commands live. Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete, and Share can be listed inline in the menu, closer to the Windows 10 layout, instead of as a row of icons. Properties can also be moved to the very bottom of the menu.

Settings home page loads faster

Build 26220.9757 also includes performance work on the Settings home page. Microsoft says it should reduce loading times in certain scenarios, but it has not published any figures, so the real-world gain remains to be seen.

Gradual rollout and the 26H1 track

As is typical for the Beta Channel, the changes are rolling out gradually, so not every Insider on this build will see them straight away. Insiders on the separate 26H1 track receive a different build, 28020.3292, rather than 26220.9757. Microsoft also reminds testers that features in these builds might never be released, so the new menu is worth trying but not yet worth counting on.